I just completed my purchase of the last Freedom 40' built in the US. This boat was initially known as "Maggiemiluv", owned recently by Rick Wright, who evidently had laudable intentions for her refit before he fell ill and subsequently passed, leaving too soon a beloved wife and daughter. What little I've come to know of Rick has prompted my deep respect, and I hope that my own efforts to breathe new life into his old boat might earn his nod.

I've long admired the Freedom 40' and Garry Hoyt. I'm a lifelong sailor, student of naval architecture, and former professional boatbuilder and rigger. Before I became a teenager, Garry's work served as a dissenting view on stodgy tradition, and effectively provided impetus to my own exploration of design, construction, and real world implementation. Because some small craft designers took a decidedly different path from tradition, namely wholesale abandonment of accumulated wisdom, I knew as a kid to avoid fads and gimmicks. That said, I cringed once years later upon overhearing a fellow yacht joiner at Hinckleys, and an old-timer at that, say, 'good 'nough,' as he completed a task.

I've arranged my new/old boat to be transported overland from the Chesapeake to my home waters near the mouth of the Columbia River where I'll personally work to reverse some of the more egregious ravages of time, and hurriedly refit in an attempt to introduce my critically ill fiancee to the pleasures of sail, north to/in the Salish Sea this summer. Unfortunately, the old wrap-around sails couldn't be located while I was purchasing the boat. I understand that Rick's widow, assisted by yacht broker Pepper Gilbert worked tirelessly though ultimately unsuccessfully to locate the old main and mizzen. If anyone knows of any old suit of Freedom 40' wrap around sails that I may either borrow for a single season or purchase reasonably, I'd very much appreciate a conversation. Ultimately, like Rick decided, I'll probably re-rig the boat within a year, though I favor cambered-panel junk rigs to goosenecks, boom vangs, and sail tracks.

Then again, given an opportunity to sail the original wrap-around sails (blown-out or not) and geometry, I might be persuaded to tip my hat yet again to Garry's brainchild.

Congrats on your purchase of your Freedom 40. Wish you luck in finding the sails and for you planned trip to the Salish Sea. I also hope you will keep us posted on your re rig efforts. I am especially interested in your experience with the cambered panel junk rig in case you re rig boat with the junk rig.

Ultimately, she'll be converted to cambered panel junk rig, along the style developed by Arne Kverneland of Stavanger, Norway. I admire his proclivity toward simplicity within his pursuit of elegant solutions. He had very kind words regarding you and Evi, Erik. It's nice to know that I'm in good company.

Hans, have you explored the Junk Rig Association? There's a plethora of knowledge within its hallowed, though virtual halls, much as a result of dedicated, blue water experimenting, and all seemingly documented for the good of the association, whether or not the grafting of ideas bore fruit. It's all rather refreshing. None of the dogmatic ideology of the committed Bermudian rig crowd.

Greetings all. Just a progress report, borrowed in part from another group.

I purchased Eyrie, formerly Maggiemeluv late last spring in Maryland, and had her trucked to the Pacific Northwest where she’s been undergoing a limited refit. Eyrie’s the last Freedom 40’ cat/ketch built in the US.

She was a bit of a basket case when I bought her, but I’ve been tackling the most pressing issues. Because she’d been on the hard for five or six years, and the previous bottom preparation looks to have left a bit to be desired, the antifouling was dead. I stripped this off, and then replaced the bronze thru-hulls and ball valves, correcting the hull to allow truly flush fits. I replaced the shaft, and cutlass bearing, replacing the traditional packing gland with a PSS shaft seal in the process. The original water heater was removed due to obsolescence and a battery acid episode before my time. I applied my own formulation of CopperCoat, using copper powder and infusion epoxy, and then polished the original topside gelcoat as best I could before masking for a proper tapered boottop to correct the abysmal original. The butt of the foremast was damaged, so I removed a couple of inches of both masts, and then ground the original black gelcoat before applying Dynel sleeves in epoxy to eliminate future circumferential checking/cracking. I’m currently applying epoxy/microballoons fairing compound to the masts so that I can go at them with a longboard and avoid getting into the fabric as much as possible. Then the masts and boottop will be primed and painted with Interlux Perfection. The spots under poppets and keelblocks will require epoxy/copper before heading to the Travellift apron where I’ll drop the centerboard to prep and paint board and trunk with Pettit Trinidad and replace the failed pennant.

I’ll need to replace a cabin sole beam aft of the after mast step, as well as the two bulkheads in the same location, and then attack the 4.108 to get it ready for launch and a bit of steaming up to Eyrie’s slip. The masthead(s) equipment will be renewed prior to swinging in the masts and pouring new urethane wedges.

As previously mentioned, Eyrie’s luff-sleeve main and mizzen were notably absent when I purchased her, but I’ve long wished to convert a Freedom 40’ to cambered-panel junk rig, which I hope to accomplish over the winter. I’m lurking on Erik’s cambered-panel junk rig conversion thread over on JRA, and contemplating how exactly I wish to tackle my sails, probably avoiding hinged battens entirely in favor of cambered panels. The original alloy wishbones will be put up for sale.

I was a bit dismayed to learn that the dinghy for which chocks were installed on deck was nowhere to be found, and as the previous owner had passed, I was at a bit of a loss as to what it might be. However, when pouring through assembled materials within a 3-ring binder in the chart table, I discovered the original invoice for a Dyer Midget sailing dinghy predating the Freedom build, and a directive addressed to Freedom Yachts that chocks be installed specific to the dinghy. Coincidentally, I’d purchased a sad old Dyer Midget a couple of years ago with the intention of refitting her as a trainer, and tender to a previous boat. Strangely, the dinghy had evidently been hung from davits and the name of her mothership was painted on one side... “Freedom” (!)

Anyway, I figured I’d better check in here with an update. I’m a former professional boatbuilder and rigger, and a life-long sailor. I’m performing all facets of the refit myself, including the construction of the junk sails. I hope to move aboard Eyrie and continue her refit to prepare for voyaging. Eventually I’ll add a PT11 nesting dinghy, and very likely a hard dodger that compliments the lovely lines of the boat. Sorry if I’ve repeated myself here.